Slow Cooker Potato Soup

This is the best potato soup I have ever had…ever.

I have made it several times and never manage to get pictures of it…I finally tried today with the last bowl…Yeah, not a food-blogger…I want to encourage you to make this, not discourage you. So I will not post a picture…just the recipe and any suggestions I have for you…

I found the original recipe on Tasty Kitchen but have made some slight modifications.

Ingredients:

• 8 cups Diced Potatoes (peeled)
• ½ cups Diced Carrots
• ½ cups Diced Celery
• 3 cans Chicken Broth, 14 1/2 Oz Each
• 1 can Cream Of Chicken Soup (10 Oz. Can)
• 2 teaspoons Salt
• 1 teaspoon Pepper
• 1 clove Garlic, Minced
• 1 cup diced ham
• 5 Tablespoons Flour
• 1 package Cream Cheese (8 Oz. Package)

Instructions:
In a large slow cooker/crock pot, combine all above ingredients, except for the flour and cream cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until potatoes are done.

About an hour before you serve the soup, cut up the cream cheese and add it to the soup. Stir until blended.

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My suggestions:
I have tried this with no celery and double the carrots and it’s good. Extra garlic? Good. Healthier versions of Cream of Chicken soup? Good. 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese? Good. “Can’t even taste a difference” good.

The original recipe called for bacon, I liked the ham much better. I also don’t usually add salt because the ham is salty enough for us. Bacon is a yummy garnish though.

I am not exact when it comes to potato/chicken broth measurements. I dice a bunch of potatoes and then I cover them with broth.

The original recipe also called for flour to thicken at the end. I have never needed it, probably because I don’t use the full amount of broth…The next day it is even thicker so I add a bit more broth when I reheat it.

Finally, if you don’t have the full 8-10 hours for this to cook on low, you can turn it to high. I also tried heating it up to a boil on the stove and cooking it for about 20 minutes and then putting it in the slow cooker. That shaved off a couple of hours of cooking time.